In one type of flat cable connector, known for example from Japanese Patent Application 61-17831, in order to obtain a high density of connection, a first and a second series of terminals have conductor connecting portions of different lengths and are anchored or implanted to extend along opposite lateral sides of an elongate insulating housing so that the conductor connecting portions of the first and second series of terminals protrude above a conductor connecting face of the housing by different amounts into lower and upper termination levels or zones, respectively, for pressure connection with conductors of the first and second cables, respectively.
Termination is effected by aligning a cable end portion with the cable engaging face of one cover member and overlaying another cover member thereon, thereby trapping the cable between the cable engaging faces of the cover members and by then aligning the first cable on an opposite, cable engaging face of the other cover member forming a subassembly for terminating engagement against the cable connecting face of the housing. The one cover member has apertures or slots for receiving respective conductor connecting portions of only the second series of terminals, the other cover member having a lateral width sufficient to cover the cable connecting face of the housing and apertures or slots for receiving respective conductor connecting portions of both series of terminals, respectively. Termination can be effected by moving the cable connecting housing face carrying the conductor connecting portions and the subassembly relatively together to drive the conductor connecting portions of both series into corresponding apertures or slots of the other cover member, with those of the second series also protruding into the slots of the one cover member, into pressure connection with the individual conductors of the cables.
Although a high density connection can be achieved by connectors of the above-described type, particularly where the conductor connecting portions of alternate terminals of each series are staggered to form four rows, the step of overlaying the other cover member on the cable tends to obscure the underlying cable and cover so that the correct pitch alignment of the cable and cover members is then difficult to ascertain visually often requiring removal of the other cover member for verification, which is a cumbersome and time consuming procedure, tending to increase applied costs.
In addition, the extended lengths of the conductor connecting portions of the second series of terminals are unsupported by the housing and vulnerable to damage both during handling, transportation and by forces arising from the terminating operation. Consequential deformation of the conductor connecting portions results in misalignment with the individual conductors with consequentially poor or unreliable connection.
In another prior connector known from Japanese Patent Application 61-232837, the cable connecting face of the housing is divided laterally by a longitudinally extending step into lower and upper cable supporting levels corresponding with lower and upper termination zones enabling the other cover member to be of less lateral width so as not to obscure the alignment of the cable and the one cover member when overlaid thereon. However, extended length, conductor connecting portions of the second series of terminals remain incompletely supported by the housing thus remaining subject to damage and deformation both during and after the terminating operation.
Furthermore, the lateral distance between the conductor connecting portions of the first series of terminals and the end of the cable is relatively short, resulting in problems causing increased risk of deformation of the core conductors during termination, as explained below.
In a further example of prior connector disclosed in Japanese Utility Model publication 60-110985, conductor connecting portions of extended lengths also lack sufficient support resulting in similar disadvantages to the aforementioned. Another example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,143,9352 to Goodman teaches a different approach which, nevertheless, cannot provide the necessary high density of connection or compactness.